Hatred is a New Friend of Mine
by KiaraSucrette
Summary: Empty promises, long distance, unsettling changes. Nathaniel and Castiel have many more reasons why they hate each other, despite what happened with them and Deborah. However, it's becoming difficult to hold their grudge for so long, especially when they have several hardships to cope with already.
1. Chapter 1

**Title: **Hatred is a New Friend of Mine

**Rating: **Teens and older

**Warning:** Violence (child abuse), swearing

**Main characters:** Castiel, Nathaniel

**Summary:** Empty promises, long distance, unsettling changes. Nathaniel and Castiel have many more reasons why they hate each other, despite what happened with them and Deborah. However, it's becoming difficult to hold their grudge for so long, especially when they have several hardships to cope with already.

**Disclaimer:** I do not own My Candy Love nor the characters. Credit goes to ChiNoMiko. I also don't own the cover image.

* * *

Nathaniel was a reckless boy. He arrived at the park like always, beaten and bruised by the older kids. His ripped shirt was dusted with dirt. Seeing his best friend sitting below the slide, Nathaniel wore a bright smile. This was where they always met up. It's become their secret hideout.

"Was it those kids again?" Castiel raised an eyebrow as he saw Nathaniel approach. He was sipping on a juice box. "You really need to stop getting involved in fights, Nathaniel."

Still wearing a weary smile, Nathaniel sat beside Castiel. "It's not that bad. I threw a few punches at those crybabies! They're probably crying to their mommies right now."

Castiel laughed lightly. "You're lying again, aren't you? You can't even throw a single punch at them." He set his empty juice box on the dirt. "Nat, you might as well just avoid trouble from those kids if you always end up in this condition."

"No, I swear, Castiel!" Nathaniel exclaimed, "I beat them down! With no mercy!" He clenched his fists in the air for emphasis.

Castiel tilted his head and wore a wry smile, "Yeah, okay. I can probably knock those kids out in less than two seconds."

The blond boy frowned, "If you're so good at fighting, then teach me!"

Castiel smirked, "So you do admit that you can't fight them back!"

"S-shut up!" Nathaniel lightly punched his friend on the arm.

Retaliating, Castiel hit Nathaniel back harder.

"Ow! What was that for?!"

"No, I should be asking you that question! What was that punch you gave me? That didn't even hurt!"

Nathaniel retorted. "I can hit harder!"

"You're lying again."

"Whatever," Nathaniel huffed. "So are you gonna teach me or not!"

"Of course. But in one condition." Castiel held out his pinky. "Whenever you fight those kids again, I have to be there to protect you."

Nathaniel scrunched his eyebrows, crossing his arms, "I can protect myself!"

"I wasn't finished yet!" Castiel still held his pinky out. "In return, I'll teach you how to fight."

Nathaniel hesitated. "Hmm…" He looked down at his chipped fingernails.

Castiel continued. "And this promise means more than teaching you how to fight. It means that whenever one of us needs the other, we'll always be there by each other's side. No matter what."

Nathaniel looked up and immediately hooked his pinky with Castiel's.

"So you pinky promise?" Castiel wore a small smile, pinky still hooked to Nathaniel's.

"Yes, of course! Always!" Nathaniel grinned from ear to ear. "No matter what."

* * *

**A/N: **This chapter was based on a few pages from a Spanish comic strip I found on DeviantArt. You can find the link on my profile.. Other than that, I hope you all enjoyed this chapter :)


	2. Chapter 2

"Mr. Donavan. Please control your son. He is getting out of hand." Nathaniel sensed the heavy tension of the atmosphere. . He was in the principal's office, and the only thing that filled the room was the stench of old papers and awkward silences. Nathaniel swung his legs on a chair that was a little too tall for him.

Beside Nathaniel was his father. He had just come out of work after receiving a phone call from the school. His father looked extremely tired. Nathaniel never realized how deep his father's wrinkles were getting.

Nathaniel was intrigued with everything else around the room - especially the clock - everything but the conversation. His principal gave him a dull stare, but Nathaniel avoided it, instead staring wearily at the framed photograph on the principal's desk. His father nudged him lightly as if to notify him to pay attention.

The principal continued, tucking her gray hair behind her ear. "Nathaniel picked a fight with an eleven-year-old, a boy who is older than him. And now, the poor boy has a twisted ankle because of him."

Suddenly interested in the conservation, Nathaniel glanced at the principal, scrunching his eyebrows. _She's making it sound like it's _my_ damn fault!_ he thought, trying to hold in his anger. _He was the one making fun of me!_ He recalled the kid had shoved Nathaniel to the ground, calling him a faggot. He didn't know what it meant, but he knew it was something bad. Nathaniel's first instinct was to tackle the boy to the ground and throw a few punches at him.

Despite the name calling, Nathaniel felt satisfied with himself for not only standing up for himself, but for winning the fight. He still couldn't believe he injured the kid so badly that he twisted his ankle.

"I apologize, Mrs. Bernard. I understand how serious this is, and my son will pay the consequences," Nathaniel's father said. He looked down at Nathaniel. "Son, no going out for a week. Until then, you're staying in your room."

"No, Dad! That's not fair-!" Nathaniel yelped, balling his hands into fists until they turned white.

"Enough, Nathaniel!" His father scolded. He turned to the principal. "I'm sorry, Mrs. Bernard. Please continue."

Nathaniel huffed and crossed his arms. He got into this much trouble almost all the time before. Why was his father suddenly grounding him? Feeling sudden betrayal by his luck, he was on the verge of tears.

"As I was saying, your son will be suspended for a week. He will not come back to school until next Tuesday," the principal said.

Nathaniel's father nodded. "Very well." Nathaniel observed his red worn-out sneakers.

"Also, maybe your son would need some counseling," Mrs. Bernard added. "I feel as though Nathaniel needs to... control his anger."

Nathaniel looked up from his sneakers, knitting his eyebrows. "What-"

"That's ridiculous," His father interrupted coolly. "Suspending my son is one thing, but counseling is something different. The cost..." His father stopped himself before he could continue.

"Mr. Donavan. I honestly do recommend your son gets counseling," the principal said. "Your son... I don't think he's capable of controlling his anger on his own. He's only a boy-"

"No, it's not counseling my son needs!" The man's voice rose. It frightened Nathaniel slightly. It

was close to that tone of voice when his father got angry at him for stealing Amber's last cookie. "Come on, son. We're going to have to leave, Mrs. Bernard." He got up from his seat, grabbing Nathaniel's hand. "Thank you for your consideration."

"Have a nice day, Mr. Donavan. You too, Nathaniel," the principal nodded. "I hope you will at least take counseling into consideration..."

By the time she finished her sentence, Nathaniel and his father had already left the room.

* * *

The ride home was the same too. Serious and heavy, along with awkward silence. Nathaniel sat in the backseat, eyeing his father from the rearview mirror.

"Dad...?" Nathaniel spoke. "What did Mrs. Bernard mean by counseling? Does it mean that someone will ask me a lot of uncomfortable questions, and I have no choice but to answer them?"

His father concentrated on the road. "It's nothing to worry about, son. You won't need counseling."

"Wasn't there another reason why you don't want me to be counseled?" Nathaniel inquired. "You told Mrs. Bernard..."

The car came across a stoplight. His father never left his eyes on the road. The heavy silence seeped through the car again.

Nathaniel fidgeted in his seat. He knew his father had an answer, but he wasn't telling him. His face looked grave, never looking at Nathaniel. He suddenly didn't want his father to respond to his question. Nathaniel was afraid of the answer.

* * *

**A/N: **I'm sorry I haven't updated this fanfic in a long time. I hope you guys enjoyed this chapter. I don't want to be one of those fanfic authors who don't update frequently, but I think I'm going to be that author. Also, Nathaniel's last name in here is Donavan. I got this from a post in the My Candy Love forum, where they talked about their headcanons. I liked it, so I used it.


	3. Chapter 3

Nathaniel lay on his unmade bed, tossing a baseball in the air. Being surrounded by the same movie posters taped to all four blue-painted walls, the same heap of dirty clothes on the floor, and the toys that scattered around his room was becoming too monotonous for the young boy. It's only be three days since he and his father had visited the principal's office, but it seemed like a hundred eternities. He missed his baseball, letting it thud on the floor.

Sitting up, he grabbed his pillow and yelled into it. "I'm so bored!" Nathaniel's scream was muffled, followed by a beeping on his watch. He rested his chin on the pillow, checking the time. It was 3 pm, usually the time when he would meet up with Castiel at the park.

He wanted to breathe in the fresh outdoors again. Nathaniel peered out the window. The brilliant sun beamed, illuminating Nathaniel's dim room. It looked lovely outside. He felt that there was something or someone waiting for Nathaniel to leave the house anytime soon from temptation. Whatever it was, their wait was about to end. Nathaniel shoved on his worn-out sneakers, heading towards his door and turning the doorknob.

"Where are you going?" Nathaniel witnessed his younger sister, Amber. She had her curls slicked back in a high ponytail. Amber stood in front of Nathaniel's door, holding her favorite doll, the same one with silky, long blonde hair and an elegant blue dress.

"None of your beeswax! Get outta my way, Amber. You're blocking my light." Nathaniel shoved his sister aside, heading his way to the stairs.

Amber stepped back, raising her voice. "You're sneaking out of the house, aren't you?"

Nathaniel gritted his teeth, turning back to glower at his sister. "Say a word to Mom and Dad about this, or I swear to God…"

Amber stood still, gripping tightly onto her doll. "You can't go to the park. You're grounded." Nathaniel ignored her. She wouldn't dare tell their parents. She'd have to pay if she did.

Nathaniel quickly tiptoed downstairs and exited the house. Their home wasn't that far from the park. From where he was, Nathaniel could see the park's purple slides. Sitting on the end of one slide sat a black-haired boy…

Not looking back, Nathaniel ran towards his destination. He sneered, silently congratulating himself from successfully sneaking out of the house. He could feel the light breeze swaying his golden blonde hair, inhaling the smell of freshly mowed grass.

Reaching the park, he snuck up behind the purple slide. "Long time, no see, Cassy!"

Castiel jumped up, turning his head and meeting eyes with Nathaniel. "What the-! Nathaniel, you scared me!"

Nathaniel grinned, "Missed me?"

Jumping off the slide, Castiel landed on his feet. "Not the slightest bit," he said, punching Nathaniel's arm. "It's only been three days."

Nathaniel winced from Castiel's hard but playful punch. "Three days too long! I've been cooped up in my room forever!"

"For three days," Castiel asserted. "What, were you grounded or something?"

Nathaniel crossed his arms. "Yeah, even though it was because of a fight. I always get into fights, and all the sudden, my dad just decided to ground me."

"Maybe your dad thought he wasn't disciplining you enough," Castiel considered.

"Disciplining?" Nathaniel repeated. "Sounds scary."

"I don't really get disciplined now that my parents are rarely home," Castiel muttered.

"Isn't that a good thing?" Nathaniel inquired, leaning against the slide ladder.

"Yeah, but it's not that," Castiel replied. "I hardly see my parents anymore." Nathaniel stole a glimpse of Castiel's sad eyes. He never asked what has been happening in Castiel's home, but all he knew was that his parents always traveled, his father being a pilot and his mother recently becoming an airline hostess. Castiel didn't have any relatives that lived around the area, so a babysitter would usually take care of Castiel instead.

"Castiel… Tell ya what," Nathaniel said hesitantly, scratching the back of his head. "You need someone to keep you company at home. Sure, I'll be there to visit you, but being grounded and all… It's sort of difficult."

"Who's going to be that someone?" Castiel asked.

"How about a pet?" Nathaniel suggested. "I always thought cats were cool, but my mom is allergic."

"A cat?" Castiel scrunched his nose. "I prefer dogs."

"Well, whatever you want, Castiel." Nathaniel rose an index finger. "Let's get you a dog then!"

Castiel rolled his eyes and flicked Nathaniel's forehead. "Ouch!" Nathaniel put his hand on his forehand. "What's wrong with having a dog?"

"How am I going to get a dog?" Castiel crossed his arms. "That costs money, idiot."

"Simple!" Nathaniel peeped. "We'll just make money by running a lemonade stand! And then-" Something suddenly caught Nathaniel's attention. Looking over Castiel's shoulder, he noticed someone not too far from the swings.

"What is it?" Castiel turned to see what Nathaniel was looking at. It was Amber, slowly approaching the two boys, hugging a doll.

"Are you kidding me, Amber?" Nathaniel snapped, stomping towards his sister. "I told you to mind your own goddamn business! Leave!"

"It's too late, Nathaniel," Amber said. "Mom is on her way."

"Don't tell me you told them." Nathaniel wore a grave expression. Amber hugged her doll firmly, not saying a word. "Amber, son of a bitch! I told you not to tell them!" Nathaniel snatched Amber's doll from her tight grip. "You're so annoying! Why do I have a stupid little sister like you?!"

"Give it back!" Amber cried. She tried grabbing her doll, but Nathaniel dodged her, ripping the doll's head from its body and tearing its blue dress into pieces. "No! Stop it, Nathaniel! Stop it!" Amber weeped.

Nathaniel threw the broken doll on the cold dirt. She knelt down, holding the remains of her favorite doll. They were falling apart on her fingertips.

"I warned you not to tell them anything!" Nathaniel glared at a sobbing Amber. "Why didn't you listen to me? It's on you that your stupid doll is broken!"

She couldn't stop crying. Castiel stood still, wanting Amber to be quiet already but feeling sorry for her too. He just eyed the doll silently. Its dress and its head were completely torn off its body; its hair disheveled.

"Nathaniel Donovan!" A woman was angrily approaching the children. Her hair was long. It was blonde and silky like Nathaniel's. "What are you doing? Why is Amber crying?" The woman gently took Amber's hand. "Amber, honey, let's go home. We'll talk there."

"Mom, my doll!" Amber hiccupped. "Nathaniel! He broke m-my…"

"Nathaniel," his mother glanced down at his son. "You're going to explain yourself at home." She lifted Amber into her arms and grasped Nathaniel's arm to leave the park.

Castiel watched them leave. Nathaniel turned back, giving him a wry smile and mouthing the words, "Lemonade stand". In return, Castiel shook his head. How could he be thinking about a lemonade stand after being in a situation like this?

By the time they were out of sight, Castiel noticed that Amber's grimy doll still laid helplessly on the ground, forgotten and left behind.

* * *

**A/N:** A happy new year to my readers! I forgot to tell you guys in advance, but some parts in this fanfic obviously won't follow the events that have actually happened in the game, hence the fact that it is a fanfic, so… *clicks tongue* yeah… Hope you enjoyed this chapter!


	4. Chapter 4

Castiel entered his home with the pieces of Amber's torn doll in his hands. "Mom, I'm home!" He expected a response, but he sulked when he received silence as a response. It was always his habit to call his mom that he arrived back home from the park. But she wasn't home.

His mother had recently become a flight attendant. She decided to try getting a job to maintain their family financially. At least, that's what she had told Castiel.

Remembering his mother telling Castiel that she wouldn't be home as much as she used to, Castiel started feeling a sense of loneliness in his chest. He recalled when his mother first told him that she decided to become an airplane hostess; he was in the verge of tears.

They had sat in the living room, Castiel watching his favorite TV show. His mother had sat beside him, speaking softly as she told her son that she got a job.

"Mom, that's not fair!" Castiel had cried. "I don't even see dad anymore, and now you're leaving me too?"

"Cassy, you have to understand that it's for the good for the family, for Mom and Dad and for you," his mother had worn a stern but concerned expression. "You'll have someone be with you. I promise. I'll hire you a babysitter."

Castiel had been too stubborn. "No, I don't want to be with some stranger. What about Aunt Fern? I haven't seen her since forever." Aunt Fern was his mother's sister. Castiel loved visiting her. She baked amazing brownies and would always wear a smile as bright as the sun. He wished he could taste her brownies again.

His mother bit her lower lip. "Honey, your Aunt Fern is going through some trouble right now. She needs your mommy and daddy's help," his mother said. "That's why we need a bit more money, so we can help her and manage ourselves. But I promise, Castiel. Everything will okay." Castiel's mother held up her pinky.

"A pinky promise?" The corner of Castiel's lips rose slightly. "Aren't you a bit… too old for that?"

"No, not at all." She wore a wide smile from ear to ear. "Actually, I heard that in Japan, that if you pinky swore and that if you broke the promise, your pinky would get cut off!"

Castiel's eyes widened but laughed. "Now I'm just scared to make a pinky promise!"

His mother's eyes soften. "But it lightened the mood. Look you're even smiling!" She still held up her pinky. Castiel let out a soft sigh and hooked his pinky with his mother's.

Now, Castiel was in the living room, staring blankly at the couch where he and his mother made that pinky promise. He settled the pieces of Amber's doll on the coffee table, looking for the sewing kit underneath it. Once he found it, he began sewing Amber's doll together.

* * *

"Why are you such a trouble child? You do nothing but cause problems!" His father yelled at Nathaniel as he silently sat on his bed.

Nathaniel didn't meet his father's eyes. He still heard Amber's feeble sobbing. It had died down a bit. Nathaniel found it irritating how his mother was still trying to comfort her.

"I had warned you so many times, but you never listen!" his father scolded. "Look at me in the eyes when I talk!"

Obeying, Nathaniel slowly met his eyes at his father. He looked terrifying, his golden eyes like Nathaniel's, except his father's were glowing and tired. Nathaniel wanted to look away, but he was frightened by what would happen if he did.

"Mommy," he heard Amber say. "I think I'm okay now. Can I go to the park? I forgot my doll." She wiped her tears from her teal eyes.

"Sure, sweetheart," Nathaniel's mother smiled down at Amber. "Just be careful, okay?" She kissed the top of Amber's head. Amber embraced her mother, and Nathaniel watched her leave the room.

Why was it that his mother would always show more affection towards Amber than Nathaniel? He didn't get it…

* * *

Castiel held the fixed doll in his hands. He wasn't a sewing expert, but he hoped fixing Amber's doll would make her stop crying. Castiel began to feel sorry for Nathaniel for having to deal with a sister who sobbed so annoyingly. Somehow, he was glad he didn't have a younger sister. But Castiel had always wanted an older brother. He wanted someone to look up to, someone to depend on. He wanted someone to relate to, and someone to go to whenever he needed girl advice-

He was near Nathaniel's home, but he suddenly caught a glimpse of a girl in the park. Seeing the girl, he immediately recognized her. She knelt down on the dirt. From this distance, Castiel could hear her crying.

_Jesus Christ!_ Castiel thought. _Did she just come back to the park just to cry again?_ He sighed heavily and ran to the park, gripping onto the doll. "Amber? Amber!"

Amber looked up from the call of her own name. "Castiel," she sniffed. "I don't know where my doll is… It's gone!" She glanced at what Castiel was holding onto. Her weeping ceased instantly. "Is that…?"

"Your doll," Castiel responded dully. "I fixed it for you. Now stop crying!" He was about to comment how he found girls who cried annoying, but he stopped himself. He held out the doll in front of him.

Amber took it gently. "Y-you fixed it for me…?" She wore a wry smile when she observed the doll. "You aren't really good at sewing, though."

Castiel hissed, crossing his arms. "I fixed it for you, didn't I?"

He expected Amber to back away after giving her such a cold attitude, but instead she began to laugh. It wasn't the best of laughs, though; it more of like a cackle than anything. "Thanks a lot, Castiel. This was really nice of you." Castiel noticed her face flush bright pink.

"It was nothing," Castiel said flatly. "How's Nathaniel doing?"

"Nathaniel?" Amber turned her head to the side and muttered, "He's okay, I guess."

"Your mom was pretty mad at him," Castiel remarked.

"She has all the right to be mad!" Amber stated defensively. "Nathaniel has always been mean to me, since the beginning!"

Castiel only replied with a sigh. He didn't understand this sibling rivalry, and he believed that he would never understand it. "Whatever." He turned his back on Amber, sliding his hands into his jeans pocket. "You're welcome for the doll." He exited the park. By the time he crossed the road, he took a quick glance at the park. Amber was still there, sitting by the sandbox and gripped the doll against her chest.

* * *

**A/N:** Please don't forget to leave a review! Thank you :)


	5. Chapter 5

**A/N:** Heavy violence warning in this chapter.

* * *

For what seemed like an eternity, Nathaniel's suspension ended and finally returned to school. He sincerely preferred attending school again than being cooped up at his own home. His parents had been harsher to him lately ever since he had broken Amber's doll, especially his father. It seemed that he would lecture Nathaniel every time he had the chance to. What made it worse was that his father took away his TV privileges for a month and took all his action figures away.

Sure, going back to school meant that he would deal with his father scolding him less often, but Nathaniel had another reason why he desperately wanted to go back: He wanted to see Castiel again. Being away from his best friend for so long felt uneasy and somewhat painful.

Gripping onto the strap of his school bookbag, Nathaniel entered the school. He passed by the hallways, catching people's stare and whispering. He was used to it; his classmates would talk softly about how many times he had gotten into trouble this year, or they'd converse about the most recent fight he had recently got in.

He entered his homeroom and placed his belongings in a shelf.

"Look, Nathaniel's back from his suspension." Nathaniel turned, meeting eyes with a girl who was pointing his direction. She wore a hair clip and neat and light-colored clothing. Her light brown hair flowed down to her shoulder. The girl grimaced. "Why do you always get into so much trouble?"

"Hey! Pointing is rude!" Nathaniel snapped. He scrunched his face as if trying to remember something. "And what was your name again? Mona… Melanie…?"

"Melody," the girl replied sternly.

"Right… of course," Nathaniel scratched the back of his head. "Don't mind me. I'm just going to sit at my seat." He made his way toward his seat and sat.

Melody made her way towards his seat. "Stop getting into so much trouble!" she said bitterly.

Nathaniel stared at Melody with a confused expression. "Why are you telling me what to do?"

"Because… because… um…" she flustered, looking around the room.

Nathaniel's gaze shifted. Well, this was getting awkward. Melody bashfully turned and walked away. She settled herself in a seat.

Nathaniel sighed of relief. _Glad that's over_, he side-glanced at her, noticing a couple of girls talking to her. They whisper, "Oh my God, are you crazy? What were you thinking, talking to Nathaniel?"

"He seems like he doesn't have a lot of friends," Nathaniel heard Melody say. The moment those words left Melody's mouth, she looked like she regretted saying them.

Nathaniel sprang up his seat. "Hey! That's not true! I have many friends!"

Melody's friends yelped and scurried to their own seat. Melody looked his way, opening her mouth as if she was about to argue back, but then fell silent. Her face began to turn red. She scribbled something on her notebook, probably a way to avoid Nathaniel.

He just sat back down at his seat, releasing a short sigh. "Girls are weird," Nathaniel murmured quietly.

* * *

As Castiel was on his way out the school building, Nathaniel ran to catch up to him. "Castiel! Castiel! Castiel!"

Castiel turned towards the boy who was calling his name so obnoxiously. "What is it?"

"Don't think I forgot!" Nathaniel grinned. "Remember? Lemonade stand! Today, right now!"

"Still with that?" Castiel raised an eyebrow.

Nathaniel's smile began to gradually fade. "I think it's a good idea."

Castiel sighed, remembering the reason why Nathaniel wanted to run a lemonade stand in the first place. "It's okay, Nathaniel. I don't need a pet or anything. I'm fine by my own. Besides, my family is kind of struggling financially. I don't think we have enough money to take care of a dog."

"This is why we run a lemonade stand!" Nathaniel chirped.

"You really think the money we'll make at the lemonade stand will be enough?" Castiel remarked.

Nathaniel didn't reply. Instead, he stared sadly at the ground.

"If you're going to find a way to make me feel sorry, it won't work," Castiel said.

"I wanted to do it for you, you know," Nathaniel muttered.

Castiel crossed his arms, wondering why it meant so much to Nathaniel. But he just wore a sincere smile. He took Nathaniel by the shoulder. "Let's walk home together," Castiel said. "We'll prepare the lemonade stand there."

Nathaniel's eyes lit up and he grinned from ear to ear. "Great! Let's hurry over to your place! I want to get started quickly! C'mon! The lemonade stand awaits!" He took Castiel by the hand and ran out of the school building.

* * *

"Lemonade! Come get your lemonade!" Nathaniel called. "Costs money, but it's still good!"

The boys were on the front of Castiel's home. They had settled a cardboard box, "LEMONADE" written on with black marker. There were several cups filled with cold lemonade, along with a can where they'd keep their collected money and a pitcher supplied with extra lemonade.

Castiel rested his head on his hand. "We haven't made any sales."

Nathaniel rose his index finger. "Patience is a virtue, my friend!" He saw a girl around their age pass by across the street. "Hey! You! Girl over there!" He grabbed a cup and rose it in the air. "Buy this yellow drink!"

The girl hesitated. She then turned and walked towards their direction. "Oh, I knew I realized that voice…"

Nathaniel tilted his head. "Do I know you?" He held out his hand. "Wait, wait, don't tell me! Emily, was it?"

She stared at Nathaniel, unamused. "Melody."

"Yeah, sure, let's call you that," Nathaniel laughed obnoxiously. "You sure look thirsty! Want to buy some lemonade?" He gestured at the cups of lemonade that sat on top of the cardboard box.

Melody glanced at the cups of ice-cold lemonade. "What for?" she inquired.

"We're raising money to get Castiel a dog!" Nathaniel chimed.

Melody looked at Castiel, then back at Nathaniel. "I have piano practice, so I'm going to-"

"Buy lemonade first!" Nathaniel demanded.

"Why?"

"Didn't I already tell you?" Nathaniel turned to Castiel. "She has listening problems, Castiel."

Castiel looked at Melody. "You should probably buy lemonade. He won't give in until you do."

Nathaniel swore he saw the corners of Melody's lips twitching as if she was trying not to smile. "Alright. I'll buy one." She reached into her skirt pocket and grabbed a few coins. "But, under one condition. You have to stop yourself into so much trouble."

Nathaniel scrunched his nose. "Why?"

Melody sighed, shaking her head. "You know what? Whatever." She exchanged her coins with a cup of lemonade. "It's your choice whether you want to cause trouble or not. But I'll warn you. Bad things happen to bad people. It's called karma." She took a sip, then pursed her lips. Placing the empty cup on the cardboard box, she commented, "Too sour."

"Well of course it is! It's lemonade!" Nathaniel retorted.

Melody gave him a small smile. "I'll see you later then. Good luck with your lemonade stand."

As she left, Nathaniel turned to Castiel. "What's up with her? Ever since I came back from school from my suspension, she's been telling me to stop getting in trouble. 'Bad things happen to bad people'?" Nathaniel scoffed. "It's 'Bad things happen to _good_ people.'"

Castiel shrugged. "She's into you."

Nathaniel wore a shocked expression. "You think so?" He found it difficult to believe that any girl would fall for him, but he faked his confidence. "I'm not surprised! Girls have always had a thing for me!"

"Don't lie to yourself!" Castiel laughed, punching Nathaniel lightly on the arm. Nathaniel just returned a small smile.

* * *

"It's getting dark," Castiel said, "and nobody's around, so we can't make any more sales. You should be heading home. Your dad will start to worry."

Nathaniel frowned at him. "Why should I care if my dad starts to worry?"

"He's your dad," Castiel said. "You should care."

"What if I don't want to care?" Nathaniel retorted. "I have a feeling that things are starting to change. My dad has been acting really cold around me, and I don't know why."

"Maybe you should talk to him about it," Castiel said. His voice sounded gentle.

"I don't want to," Nathaniel shook his head. "He's been getting in the way of everything. I can't even watch my favorite cartoon on TV anymore. And I can't play with my action figures. And I can't go outside as much as I used to. It's not fair."

"Nathaniel," Castiel began. "It's getting dark."

Nathaniel's eyes began to burn. He wasn't about to cry. He didn't want to. Not in front of Castiel. He was always the one who would act tough.

Castiel gazed at Nathaniel. "Are you crying?"

"No," Nathaniel turned his head, sniffling. "No, I'm not. I'm going home." He picked up his belongings and left.

As Nathaniel strolled to his home, he didn't look back. His eyes were getting watery, but he refused to let any tears fall. He tried to distract his mind.

Nathaniel began to think about running the lemonade stand with Castiel. In the end, they weren't very successful; they had only made a few sales. It wasn't enough to get Castiel a dog. He knew running a lemonade stand wasn't enough. In fact, Nathaniel was a realist. He didn't know why he wanted to run one in the first place. Sure, he wanted to help Castiel somehow, but a part of him felt that it was just some sort of excuse to get him away from home.

He looked up at the sky and saw that the sun had set, hardly even seen. Suddenly, he felt a feeling of anxiety. He prayed his father wouldn't kill him for coming home late.

But why was he so concerned about curfew all the sudden? Nathaniel didn't want to worry. He wanted to be angry. The conversation he had with Castiel began to cross his mind, about how his father was acting cold around him. Nathaniel knew why; it was because he was trouble. But Nathaniel had always been that way. Nathaniel would always get into fights at school, he'd always pick on Amber. Those were things he'd do regularly. Why was his father making such a huge deal about it now? He gritted his teeth. Nathaniel didn't know if he was goosebumps because he was closer to his home or because it was chilly outside.

Arriving at his home, Nathaniel opened the front door. "Dad? I'm home…." He silently stood where he was, eyeing at the living room. His mother sat on a chair, Amber on her lap. His father was settled on the couch, with straight posture, looking at Nathaniel gravely. A woman Nathaniel didn't recognize sat beside his father.

"Nathaniel, this is Mrs. Durand," Nathaniel's father stated. "She will be your new counselor."

"Counselor…?" Nathaniel mouthed softly. He dropped his backpack beside his worn-out sneakers and slowly walked towards them.

"Hello, you must be Nathaniel," the woman smiled graciously. "It's a pleasure to meet you." She held out her hand in front of Nathaniel's.

He stared blankly at her empty hands.

"Nathaniel, shake her hand. Don't be rude," Nathaniel's father said with a steady voice.

He did not take her hand. "Dad," Nathaniel turned to his father, with a shaky voice. "I thought you said you weren't getting me a counselor."

His father ignored Nathaniel's statement. "Shake her hand, Nathaniel."

Mrs. Durand put her hand down. "It's really okay, sir. He doesn't need to…."

"Dad, don't ignore me!" Nathaniel quaked. "I don't want a counselor! I don't need one! I don't have anger issues! I'm not some lunatic who needs counseling!"

"Nathaniel, please! We have a visitor!" His father demanded.

"You are not a lunatic, Nathaniel," Mrs. Durand said with her sugar-coated voice. "Everyone needs help here and there-"

"No! I don't want you here!" Nathaniel cried. "I don't need professional help! Go away!"

Suddenly, Nathaniel felt a painful impact on his arm. His father had just slapped him. In shock, Nathaniel covered his cheek with his hand and began to weep.

"I'm sorry, Mr. Donovan," Mrs. Durand began, "but I-"

"Mrs. Durand. Please come another time," his father looked at the counselor with a mobile expression.

"Are you sure, sir? I don't-"

"Please, ma'am. Come another time," his father spoke with a stern voice.

Mrs. Durand grabbed her purse. "I'm sorry, Nathaniel." She caressing his hair reassuringly. He wouldn't stop crying. These were tears he'd been holding into when he was with Castiel at the lemonade stand.

Nathaniel hiccupped, "Don't touch me! I don't want you here! Go away!"

The counselor stopped petting him, holding back her hand. She made her way towards the door and left.

"This isn't fair! It's not fair!" Nathaniel sobbed. He tried to wipe his tears with the back of his hand, but they just kept flowing. "Why did you hit me?" Not once had Nathaniel's father lay a hand on Nathaniel like that. Why did he do it now?

"Nathaniel! Do you know how much money I spent for a counselor?" His father scolded. "I have worked so hard everyday to make money, and this is how you repay me?" His father stood. Nathaniel looked up at his father. Although, he could not see him too clearly through his tears. "You are such an ungrateful child! Why were you born?! All you do is cause trouble!" He could see his father's fist. Nathaniel's first instinct was to flinch, but his father's fist collided with his cheek, making a big enough impact that Nathaniel fell to the floor.

"Stop!" Nathaniel trembled, paralyzed. "I'm sorry! I'm sorry, Dad-!"

His father's eyes glowed. "You don't mean that. You'll just get in trouble again! Again and again and again!" He forcefully kicked Nathaniel in the shin. Nathaniel yelped with pain. He wept, looking towards his mother's and Amber's direction.

Amber's eyes were wide with fear, speechless and too horrified to say anything. On the contrary, his mother's face was deadpan. She could have said something to stop this from happening, something, anything. She had that power to do that, but why couldn't she? Why didn't she?

Nathaniel struggled to stand at his feet, avoiding to look at his father. He ran up the stairs, wincing at the pain on his shin. He ran towards his bedroom and slammed the door shut, continuing to cry into his pillow.

He heard his father's loud footsteps going up their staircase. Nathaniel gulped, not the slightest bit prepared. His door slammed open.

"Do you think I'm done with you?" Nathaniel's father raged. "I've been too lenient with you! Now you'll really know how serious I am, Nathaniel! You humiliated all of us in front of a visitor!" he resumed, "And coming home ridiculously late? Don't tell me you went over to your stupid friend's place-!"

"He's not a stupid friend," Nathaniel's voice shook. He hugged his pillow and used it to hide his face.

"What the hell were you doing at his place at this hour?" his father rebuked. "After being lectured so many times, you still don't get it? Are you that thick-headed? What were you and your stupid friend doing that's so goddamn important anyway?"

"He's not a stupid friend," Nathaniel repeated, voice cracked. His spoke louder. "Castiel is not stupid. He's not stupid! You're stupid! You and your lectures are stupid! You're a stupid father-!"

His father stomped towards Nathaniel and pounded his fist on his head. Nathaniel cried from the powerful blow. "You are never to see your friend again, you hear? You will meet up with him tomorrow, and that will be the last time you ever see him!"

Nathaniel weeped harder. He wanted to argue so many things; that Castiel was always the one who was there for him, that he was the _only_ one who was there for him, that he meant so much to him, and that his father couldn't possibly be that incompassionate to take away someone who was so important to him. But Nathaniel was too afraid to speak. He was too afraid to disobey.

His blonde hair pressed against his forehead from his cold sweat. Hot tears continued to stream down his face. He was probably crying harder than Amber did when he broke her doll. He'd always believed crying was for weak sissies, but he was too overwhelmed with a feeling of terror and agony to care.

"You hear? You will never talk to your stupid friend again!" His father left the Nathaniel's bedroom, slamming the door.

Nathaniel couldn't think straight. He tried to tell himself to stop crying, but he couldn't. He lay down, curling himself up in a ball. His sobs were beginning to die down, but he still trembling, both out of fear and from the physical pain his father had given him.


	6. Chapter 6

Castiel sat silently on the swings, looking down on the dirt. He sighed heavily, feeling a sense of loneliness. His parents continued to work on hours, but they would contact Castiel every other day. They had hired him a new babysitter, but she couldn't seem to care less about Castiel. She would always sit around his living room and text her friends, not even keeping an eye on him for two seconds.

His mom had recently called to tell Castiel to check in on his Aunt Fern. When Castiel called Aunt Fern, he told her his mom was asking about her. Her aunt said that she was okay, in a slightly weak voice, then told Castiel she had to leave. It came across Castiel that the reason why his mom got a new job in the first place was because of his aunt. But Castiel questioned what was possibly wrong with her, where she was, and why no one had told him anything.

Then there was Nathaniel. He hadn't been at school for almost a week since the night they sold lemonade, nor had he visited the park.

Castiel looked up at the orange sky. Things used to be perfectly okay; his mother was at home to take care of Castiel, and he had Nathaniel as his best friend, almost as a brother. Not having any siblings, the closest person who he could call a brother was Nathaniel. Now, things have started to gradually change.

"Hey, you!" a boy with light brown hair hollered. He approached Castiel, along with three other boys. They looked about two or three years older than Castiel. "Where's your boyfriend? Or did he wuss out and leave?" The four boys laughed raspily.

Eyeing the boy, Castiel stood up from the swing. He gritted his teeth. "How about you pick someone your own size, you pathetic son of a bitch."

The boy fumed, "What did you say?"

"Did I stutter?"

The other boys murmur to the boy, "Dude, beat the shit out of this punk!" But the boy already held out his fist.

Castiel flinched, preparing himself for a hard punch, but then a familiar voice interrupted.

"Leave him alone."

The boy smirked. "Oh, it's you."

Castiel turned to see Nathaniel. The first thing he noticed was the bruises he had, although they were healing. Did he get these bruises from the bullies? No, if they hadn't seen Nathaniel in a while, that must mean that these bruises came from something else. Or someone else.

The bullies cackled. "How pathetic!" one of the boys with gray hair said. He looked at Castiel. "Why do you associate yourself with someone like him? You're such a faggot!"

"I said leave him alone!" Nathaniel yelled.

The boy with light brown hair was about to throw a punch at Nathaniel, but before he could, Castiel grabbed his arm and twisted it behind his back. The boy screeched, falling to the ground, but Castiel wasn't done with him yet. He kicked the boy between the legs, and the boy cried in pain.

The rest of his friends help him up. "Dude, let's get out of here!" one of the boys said. They left the park, and Castiel smiled with pride, putting his hands to his hips.

"Do you want to fight like that?" Castiel beamed. He eyed Nathaniel, and his eyes were not clouded with awe or amusement, but fear.

"Um, you alright?" Castiel asked.

Nathaniel sat down on the dirt ground, hugging his knees. "I would have fought too. But for some reason, I just froze." He rested his chin on his knees.

He sat beside his friend and put a hand on his shoulder. "You didn't have to fight, Nathaniel. Not fighting doesn't make you a wuss or anything. But if it helps, I still haven't forgotten about that promise-"

Nathaniel scrunched his eyebrows. His eyes glowed. "And what? Whether you help me or not, it's not going to change anything!" He hid his face in his hands. "I can't defend myself."

Castiel hesitated, "But… you've won a few fights from those bullies, along with a few other kids."

"It's not about that," Nathaniel said, voice muffled as he was still covering his face.

"Then what is it?"

He didn't hear a reply. Instead, he heard sniffling. Nathaniel's shoulders were trembling.

"Nathaniel," Castiel said softly, "I don't know if you're comfortable with me asking, but where did you get those bruises?"

"I fell down the stairs," Nathaniel responded with a cracked voice.

"That's such a bad lie," Castiel said.

Nathaniel rose his head, looking at Castiel with his golden watery eyes. "And if you learned the truth, what could you possibly do?"

"I'll be here for moral support," Castiel consoled. "Nathaniel, that's what friends are for-"

"Well, I can't be friends with you. Not anymore." Nathaniel stood and wiped his tears with the back of his hand.

Castiel was silently for a few seconds, confused. It was taking a while for Nathaniel's statement to sink in. Then he stood as well. "Nathaniel. What's your reason behind this?"

"Nothing," Nathaniel muttered. "I'm going now."

He turned to leave, but Castiel gripped his arm before he could.

"No, there's a reason! Tell me what it is!" Castiel demanded.

Nathaniel forcefully pulled away from his grip. "I can't, Castiel! I can't!" He began to sob quietly. He spoke softly. "I'm afraid."

"You don't have to tell me what happened, but no matter what, I'll help you," Castiel said, "whether if you need me to teach you how to fight or any other problems you have. And that's a promise." He held out his pinky finger.

Nathaniel stared blankly at his pinky. "Don't make promises you can't keep. You can't help me, Castiel. In this situation, you can't." He choked back his tears. "And I don't need your help or your comfort. All this time, I've always relied on you, and I'm sick of it! I want to be independent for once! I want to be on my own! I want to be left alone."

Castiel's mind was everywhere. He tried his best to search for words. "But…"

"I don't want to talk to you anymore. Just leave me alone," And with that, Nathaniel left the park. Castiel realized that as he made his way home, he was limping slightly.

He wanted to scream, yell at the top of his lungs. He wanted to move, to stop Nathaniel from leaving. But he didn't. Instead he just stood there, stiff and silent.

The only thing that kept him company was the stinging feeling of betrayal.


End file.
